Vegan parents feature: #8

This week we nearly didn't have a feature post but luckily we do now!

We hear from Chloe, who blogs over at The Crabby Crafter 

1:Name and age of your little person(s) and your family.

Beetroot turns 3 at the end of the month and Raygold just turned 1.  

2: Was your pregnancy vegan?,

Yes!  (I've been vegan for a long time.)

3: Do you have support from family/friends? If you have made new friends since becoming a vegan parent please add how you met and how helpful it’s been to have like minded friends.

My best friend from college is a physician (and a vegan) and she is very supportive.  My husband is a vegetarian (mostly vegan, except for the odd bit of cheese) and is very supportive.  That said, I live in rural Scotland and have yet to meet any other vegetarians or vegans here and a few people at our local health centre have not only been very unsupportive, but have actually been quite rude.

4: What do you consider to be the hardest thing about being a vegan parent and how do you handle moments when you might doubt yourself?

For me, the hardest thing about being a vegan parent is all the criticism.  There is the personal criticism, like from our health centre and from a few relatives, but there is also a general criticism of the vegan diet in the media.  That is probably the worst -- if something happens to a child who is vegan, it is all over the media and the vegan diet is stressed as much as whatever happened to the child, even when it is usually totally unrelated -- and then lots of people just assume that's what all vegans do!  It's frustrating because there are lots of children fed poor diets here (this is only really highlighted on those programmes where Jamie Oliver tries to encourage people to eat better), but when a child gets morbidly obese or type-II diabetes from their diet, it never makes the headlines.  There was a vegan child in Glasgow with rickets that made the headlines a few years ago, but rickets has made a huge comeback there (http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/scotland/Rickets-makes-comeback-as-generation.6729576.jp) and none of the other individual cases have made the headlines.

5: What do you consider to be the best thing about been a vegan parent?

 My children won't grow up with a cheese addiction!  ;p  Actually, while that is true, I think having an unconventional diet kind of makes you challenge other social norms, too, and gets you thinking outside the box.  

6: Please add any tips and favourite shopping and eating places that are child and vegan friendly?

 Well, here in the UK, you can almost always get beans and chips, but I've found Wetherspoons (a pub chain) is very child-friendly and always has a vegan option or two.

7: Do you have any no fail foods for your fussy eater? Or please name some of your child's favourite meals/snacks, if possible please include recipes for other parents to try.

 I'm lucky that my kids aren't usually too fussy.  My toddler would love to live on apples, oranges, and broccoli if he could, although toast, waffles, pasta, tofu with soy sauce, any kind of bean dip (especially variations of hummous), and soy yoghurt are always winners. 

I don't really have any fancy recipes, but I often serve pasta & a veg (we usually do broccoli or cauliflower) stirred into
- smooshed haricot beans (+ a dash of margarine or olive oil, a few tablespoonfuls of the starchy pasta water, lemon juice, thyme, and a dash of cayenne)
- marmite (+ a dash of margarine or olive oil and a few tablespoonfuls of the starchy pasta water)
- tahini (+ a dash of margarine or olive oil, a few tablespoonfuls of the starchy pasta water, lemon juice, and a dash of cayenne)
- smooshed butternut squash (+ a dash of margarine or olive oil and a few tablespoonfuls of the starchy pasta water)
etc.  You get the idea.

8: How have you have adjusted to having children? feel free to describe your style of parenting. because we know it’s not always just about veganism, being a parent is a whole new world.

I think I'm a much happier person now that I have children -- I love being a mom.  My parenting style sort of falls under the 'crunchy' label (breastfeeding on demand -- I've been breastfeeding for over 3 years straight! -- co-sleeping, baby carriers, etc.), although that's just sort of how it happened, I didn't even know that parenting style had a name until I was already doing it!

Feature: Vegan Parents #7

This week we have Alison and her family.  

1: Name and age of your little person(s) and your family.

My husband, Mat, and I share our lives with our daughter, Anika, 7 and sons Jem, 4; Rowan, 2.

2: Was your pregnancy vegan?

All of my pregnancies have been vegan. I had been vegan for 8 years when I became pregnant with Anika, my first child. During that pregnancy, a GP told me that I ‘looked pale’ and must be anaemic. I was not at all surprised when a blood test confirmed that my ferritin levels were good and I did not have anaemia. I believe that she was quick to ‘diagnose’ me with anaemia because of my vegan diet. She said: ‘I wish you would eat meat, but I know that you won’t’. Suffice to say, she was not my GP for much longer!

During all pregnancies, I had confidence in my body’s ability to grow a healthy baby. I experienced morning sickness with all my pregnancies, but I did not have any complications or problems, and I did not suffer from excessive weight gain. I supplemented with B12 and vegan DHA. I also attended a weekly pre-natal yoga group.

3: Do you have support from family/friends? If you have made new friends since becoming a vegan parent please add how you met and how helpful it’s been to have like minded friends.

My family - and my husband’s family - are very supportive of our veganism. My younger sister, Susannah, has been a vegan for 15 years. My parents no longer eat animal products, and they credit my sister and me with ‘raising vegan parents’! One of Mat’s nieces, Jess, became a vegan about a year ago. I am happy that the existence of vegan family members normalises veganism for our children.

We share our lives with a large circle of diverse friends – all non-vegan. However, all of them are supportive and accommodating of our veganism. Some of our friends have become very skilled at making delicious vegan food and cakes. I used to pride myself on being the ‘great vegan baker’ in our family, but I think my Mum has now taken the title. Positively, Mat and I have never had to worry that my parents would give our children non-vegan foods, as they fully support our belief system. Moreover, they simply do not have any non-vegan foods in their house. My (non-vegan) mother-in-law has also become adept at making vegan food, and whenever we visit her in Sydney, she ensures that her cupboard and fridge are stocked with vegan foods, including yummy biscuits and scrumptious cakes that she has baked herself.

I recognise that we are lucky to have a supportive network of family and friends in our lives – and I am very thankful for it.

4: What do you consider to be the hardest thing about being a vegan parent and how do you handle moments when you might doubt yourself?

Most of the time, I feel safely cocooned in our little vegan existence. However, there are occasional challenges. I am saddened by the thought that my children will one day be aware of the full scale of horrors that humans inflict on non-human animals. I feel sad that I cannot shield them from the harsh realities of a very non-vegan world. I lament the fact that some people- nutritionists, journalists and others - think that raising vegan children is irresponsible or risky. I feel angry that our public education system is regarded as a ‘tool’ by industry groups – such as Dairy Australia- to promote their unethical and unhealthy products to children.

I have never doubted that veganism was the right path for our family. I hope with all my heart that my children will embrace vegan values as they grow into adolescence and adulthood.

5: What do you consider to be the best thing about being a vegan parent?

I feel immensely happy that my children are being raised with a vegan ethos – that they do not regard animals as a source of food. I am proud of the fact that my daughter knows where gelatine comes from; that she believes cow’s milk is for baby cows. Jem and Anika understand where ‘meat’ comes from – they understand that an animal has died. My children demonstrate genuine empathy and compassion for non-human animals – and it fills my heart with joy that they are not contributing to the suffering of sentient beings.

6: Please add any tips and favourite shopping and eating places that are child and vegan friendly?

There is a fabulous vegan place in Lismore called 20 000 Cows – it is popular with vegans and non-vegans. They serve amazing food – spinach & nut cheese rolls, Yemeni mellawah, Lithuanian kugelis, nori fritters, tahini cheese cake.... it is impossible for me to nominate a favourite dish! Some of these awesome dishes are included in the owner’s cook book. We also enjoy yum cha at Easy House and dinner at Tian Ran when visiting the Gold Coast.

7: Do you have any no fail foods for your fussy eater? Or please name some of your child's favourite meals/snacks, if possible please include recipes for other parents to try.

All of my children love tacos – it is an easy way to ensure that they eat lots of raw salad vegetables. My daughter is very adventurous with food. I can usually guarantee that she will eat whatever we serve up! Jem, on the other hand, isn’t a big fan of dinner. He eats really well - and heartily - in the morning and at lunch time, but just ‘picks’ at dinner. I am hoping that Rowan will turn out to be as adventurous as Anika – so far, all the signs are good!

Positively, all of my children eat lots of fruit. Every morning, I sprinkle their breakfast cereal – weet bix or porridge- with ground linseeds, chia seeds and hemp seeds (I grind the whole seeds in a spice grinder). I find this to be an easy way of ensuring that they are getting a good source of essential fatty acids. We all have a sublingual B12 tablet each day.

An easy dinner that we all enjoy is a creation of mine called (very unimaginatively!) Baked Vegie Cous Cous Salad. Firstly, bake a selection vegies in the oven with a drizzle of olive oil (eg. carrots, sweet potato, pumpkin, roma tomatoes, garlic cloves); then prepare a cup or two of whole wheat cous cous in water or vegie stock. When the vegies are baked, add them to the cous cous and mix. Place the mixture in an oven proof dish, then add roasted pine nuts; chopped parsley; diced capsicum; sliced kalamata olives; sliced vegie sausages or marinated tofu; cannellini (white) beans or chickpeas. Mix well. You can also add sliced red onions and sundried-tomatoes. It is a very ‘flexible’ dish – you can add any vegies that are lurking in the crisper. Bake for about 15-20 mins on 180.

I have found the following recipe to be popular with children. I occasionally pop an Energy Ball in to my daughter’s lunch box.

Energy Balls

2 ½ cups dates

1 cup almond meal

½ cup linseed meal

¾ cup carob powder

½ cup sunflower seeds

¼ cup sultanas

1 cup water

1 cup shredded coconut for rolling

Chop dates and place in saucepan with the water and bring to the boil. Leave to cool completely and then roughly mash with a fork.

Pour the date mixture into a bowl and add all other ingredients, except coconut. Mix well.

Take spoonfuls of mixture and roll into balls (about 1 inch diameter). Roll balls in coconut. Store in fridge.

(adapted from ‘Vegan Cooking: Recipes for Health and Happiness’, Quinn, A & Lilburne, D).

8: How have you have adjusted to having children? feel free to describe your style of parenting. because we know it’s not always just about veganism, being a parent is a whole new world.

During my first pregnancy, I read copious amounts of books about attachment parenting principles and natural birth. I am a strong advocate of homebirth (my sons were born at home), co-sleeping and extended breastfeeding. All of my children have breastfed beyond 2 years of age - Rowan is still breastfeeding. I have spent a majority of the past 7 years as a stay-at-home mum, with occasional forays back in to the workforce (I am a social worker). My role as SAHM is definitely the most challenging and fulfilling ‘job’.

Email me at: stuff-about-stuff@hotmail dot com

Vegan parents feature #6

We have post number 6! and We hear from Valerie who has her very own blog 

Valerie will also be starting vegan cooking classes, as apart of a health coaching service since she has received her certificate from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.

I hope you enjoy reading her story as much as i did.

1: Name and age of your little person(s) and your family.

We have 5 kids total ranging in age from 23 down to 5 1/2. We're a "yours", "mine" and "ours" family.  Our 5 1/2 year old Julian(vegan since birth) is the "ours" baby. All the rest are grown and on their own.

2: Was your pregnancy vegan?

Actually no. I've been a vegetarian for 21 years now, with the last four years as a vegan. Julian was my first vegetarian pregnancy though.

I initially went vegetarian due to my research into health and nutrition and learning that there appeared to be less degenerative disease associated with those who followed a more plant-based diet.  Diabetes is also an issue in my family of origin (on both sides) and I wanted to beat the odds and avoid that risk as much as possible.   

My journey towards veganism started about 5 years ago as I became aware again through research and then the internet of what goes on behind the scenes in the production of animal products. I watched many of  those undercover slaughterhouse  videos and discovered podcasts with such persuasive voices as Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, Erik Marcus, and Howard Lyman, that opened my eyes to such an extent, that I could no longer justify supporting such a cruel industry with my money.    

My faith demands love and compassion towards all of God's creation. So, for me this is spiritual as well. 

As far as Julian goes, I was in the middle of learning all of these things when I was carrying him and soon afterwards. I would say things like, "I don't want him to have any dairy before he's at least 2".  But by the time he reached 2, I was already "ruined".  I had made the decision to raise our son as a vegan.

3: Do you have support from family/friends? If you have made new friends since becoming a vegan parent please add how you met and how helpful it’s been to have like minded friends.

I would say for the most part, yes. My convictions are stronger now as a vegan than they were when I was vegetarian and my older kids were little.  Because my reasons for my diet were strictly for health back then, I was pretty easy going about the kids eating meat sometimes and other animal products.  I even cooked meat on occassion!  I shudder as I think about it..

I also didn't really challenge the influence of friends and family very much.  I was more concerned about junk food.

Our friends and family seem pretty supportive of our vegan lifestyle. My husband, Marc actually made the decision a couple of years ago to become vegetarian in support of my convictions but eats vegan at home. Of course, that's the only way I cook! ha ha

We have made friends in the last couple of years with other vegan parents through our local vegetarian society and it helps a great deal to have that support.

It's also so nice to go to a kids party once in a while where we know that Julian can eat everything there and I don't have to think about it or make sure we bring a vegan snack "just in case."  

I discovered when I was a kid myself that I love to cook and experiment in the kitchen. That's carried over into my vegan cooking today.  As a result, I've been on a mission of sorts to prove that plant-based food(especially desserts) can be just as good if not better than those made from animal products.  So, I think I've pretty much got our omni friends convinced!

4: What do you consider to be the hardest thing about being a vegan parent and how do you handle moments when you might doubt yourself?

I guess I would have the say that so far the hardest thing would be sometimes feeling a bit of anxiety about going to an event or resturaunt where the food choices could be limited.  Julian is homeschooled, so having to confront a traditional classroom or cafeteria situation is not an issue.

5: What do you consider to be the best thing about been a vegan parent?

Wow, I would have to say that having the opportunity to teach Julian in a very practical and I think holistic way about extending compassion and respect towards all of God's creatures both animal and human. 

6: Please add any tips and favourite shopping and eating places that are child and vegan friendly?

We have some great healthfood stores here in our area of Humboldt County, Ca.  There's one vegetarian resturant, Wildflower Cafe in Arcata, but no vegan ones unfortunately.  But there are some very accomodating  places here like Rita's Mexican food and Golden Harvest in Eureka. Both of them have great vegan and kid-friendly dishes. 

Our fav Veg friendly children's books

Fruits I love and A Gift from Little Bear, by Victoria Boutenko

-Herb, the Vegetarian Dragon, by Jules Bass and Debbie Harter

-The Fruit Bowl/Vegetable Soup, by Dianne Warren, Susan Smith Jones, and Amy Lorvaag LIndman

-The Secret Life of Mitch Spinach, by Hillary Feerick and Jeff Hillenbrand

-Thats Why we Don't Eat Animals, by Ruby Roth

7: Do you have any no fail foods for your fussy eater? Or please name some of your child's favourite meals/snacks, if possible please include recipes for other

 parents to try.

Julian loves green smoothies! I've been giving them to him since he was 2. If you're not familiar with them, it's basically a fruit smoothie with fresh greens added. You can use kale,collards, spinach, chard, dandelion, etc.  When I discovered them a few yeas ago, I was amazed at the nutrient level of greens. Protein, calcium, vitamins C, A, K.  If a kid(or adult) is adverse to the green color, just add lots of berries and it turns the smoothie a more appetizing purple color.

Kid-friendly green smoothie recipe

Add to blender and blend well in order listed

-2 cups water or orange juice

-2 cups washed, chopped, or torn greens(spinach is good to start with due to it's mild flavor. If using kale or collards, be sure to remove stems first.)

-2 bananas(chopped and frozen makes the smoothie nice and frosty)

-1 mango, orange, or peach peeled and chopped.

Veggie "ribs" are also a favorite at our house. I grew up on what's known as "soulfood", so these are a real treat. I've made different versions of a recipe from Susan V of Fatfree Vegan Kitchen.  http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2007/05/barbecued-seitan-ribz.html

Another recipe that Julian loves are my chocolate chip cookies. They're actually gluten-free. We're not a gluten-free household(obviously, hence the seitan ribs above.) but these cookies are full of fiber,protein and good fats.

Gluten free Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/2 cups blanched almonds*(dry), ground finely in food processor

(as close to a powdery consistency as you can get)

2/3 cup brown rice flour

 1 tsp salt

1/3 cup yellow flaxmeal(light colored)

1/2 cup + 2 tsp agave or maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 to 1 cup fair trade vegan chocolate chips

water

1. Spray a large cookie sheet with a good vegetable oil spray and preheat the oven to 350.

2. In a mixing bowl, add all the ingredients in the given order.

3. Mix well.

4. Add water a couple of teaspoonfulls at time, stirring, until mixture holds together.

5. Chill cookie dough in the fridge for about 10 minutes or until stiff.

6. Drop dough on cookie sheet a teaspoon(an eating spoon) at a time and flatten slightly with a fork.

5. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until slightly golden around the edges.  Check often to prevent burning.

5. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from the cookie sheet.

Makes about 2 dozen

If stored in a sealed  container they become more moist over time and the flavor instensifies.

*This recipe can be adapted with many different nuts, combinations and flavors

8: How have you have adjusted to having children? feel free to describe your style of parenting. because we know it’s not always just about veganism, being a parent is a whole new world.

Well, I would say that I adjusted a long time ago, since my oldest is 23!

But seriously though, I do feel more relaxed as a parent at this stage of my life compared to when my other kids were young.  I know more of what to expect, because I've been down this road before.  I know it's cliche', but becoming a parent changes you. Life ceases being just about "me" and forces a person(in a good way) to become more sensitive to the needs of another.

                                                         email me:   stuff-about-stuff@hotmail dot com

Vegan parents feature #5

     This week hear from Caroline and her big vegan family.

                                                 

1: Name and age of your little person(s) and your family.

 We have 5 children, our eldest son Bj is 18, DJ our eldest daughter is 14, AJ is turning 10, Megan is 4 and Elijah is turning 2 this year.

2: Was your pregnancy vegan?,

no but  we were Vegetarian at that stage. I wish i had been vegan though, as i think i would have been healthier.

 We have been on and off Vegan since we were married but made a total commitment to being vegan for our health and our children's health 2 years ago. We have encountered so much evidence about how a meat eating and dairy eating diet is so bad for your health. The crunch for us becoming totally vegan was listening to Dr T Colin Cambell the guy who wrote The China Study.  We just couldn't give our children dairy  or animal protein laced foods knowing what we knew. Funnily enough the children have never asked for any of those things that we used to have.

 My eldest daughter and i love to shop at organic markets and try new vegetables and fruits. We have just moved down from sunny NSW to Vic, so we are missing the awesome markets up there but are excited about growing our own. 

  We are pretty eco minded and our next project is to be self sufficient. 

  Buying organic and locally is important to me but not always something we can afford or do.  

  Its an attitude you have about life,vegan is more than just eating the right foods and treating animals right. Its how you feel about life and what you value, if you value others and this world we live in it will show and come out in all that you do.

 There is a lot that makes us different from the normal, we homeschool, use cloth nappies, don't immunize and i make and sell cloth pads.  This can be very confronting for other people but don't ever be afraid to stand up for what you believe is right for you and your children.

3: Do you have support from family/friends? If you have made new friends since becoming a vegan parent please add how you met and how helpful it’s been to have like minded friends.

My family is accepting of us becoming vegan as my youngest sister has been vegan for quite sometime. She pathed the way for us. They have seen the positive health change it has had on her. They also see that our children are healthy, happy and in a normal weight range. Friends have also been good about it, some take time to prepare vegan meals for us. But we do get a bit of negative reactions, my husband is the one who stands up and gives them the information when they start having a go at us. He is awesome with the facts and because people dont research they have nothing to say to us. I think because our choices are made on firm decisions with lots of facts that when we meet opposition they back down. I find it crazy that people just accept what the media tells them.

4: What do you consider to be the hardest thing about being a vegan parent and how do you handle moments when you might doubt yourself?

 I just asked my husband this question and he things there is nothing hard about being vegan! LOL!  I think its making sure they have enough protein, calcium, iron etc etc. If i feel we haven't had enough of these things i go to the books. I also keep a suppliment handy. I do believe though that if you low in something, say vitamin C then you should just go and eat an orange.

5: What do you consider to be the best thing about been a vegan parent?

That you are giving them the best!  All the food choices that are available are amazing, There is just so much variety. I feel sorry for the people caught up in the "meat and 3 veg" syndrome. Its crazy that they "worry" about vegan children's diets when they are having more variety than 90% of the population.

6: Please add any tips and favourite shopping and eating places that are child and vegan friendly?

We love going to The Vegie Bar in Brunswick st. We mainly eat at home as eating out is expensive with 7 to feed. :) I definately like organic stores, the atmosphere is so different to regular stores, I think growing what you can at home makes a difference, a few herbs etc, there is great satisfaction in growing your own. We also love going to Eastfields an organic shop in Croydon, it always smells so good in there.

7: Do you have any no fail foods for your fussy eater? Or please name some of your child's favourite meals/snacks, if possible please include recipes for other parents to try.

Aj doesnt like nuts at all, so i hide them grounded up in food. but apart from that we make our children eat a good range of things as we believe that they will eventually start liking them. letting them be apart of what you are buying, cooking helps. The eldest three regularly cook the main meal.

Aj just told me that she loves my carob cake.  Its hard to name a favourite we really enjoy food at this house. A quick and easy recipe we like to make is pancakes with vegies in them.

  Vegie pancakes

  Make a basic pancake mix with SR flour and oat or soy milk, blend up vegies such as broccoli, carrot, zuchini, tomato, pumpkin, etc mix it together with pancake batter, salt, massel stock (we use chicken for this one) yeast flakes, onion powder and fry. 

  We stack them on our plate with a little BBQ sauce and vegan mayo. Yummo!

  Carob shakes are always a winner at our house. 

  carob powder, soy milk, banana, dash of flax seed oil. we also sometimes throw in a few blueberries.

8: How have you have adjusted to having children? feel free to describe your style of parenting. because we know it’s not always just about veganism, being a parent is a whole new world. 

Having happy adjusted children i believe involves parents being selfless, giving and giving till it hurts, Loving their children always, loving discipline, good principles that are demonstrated by the parents. we cant seriously expect our children to not do what we are doing ourselves. This is hard when you are grounded in bad habits.

For us having children has made us better people, better communicator with each other and more fun. I totally advocate big families! :)

stuff-about-stuff@hotmail dot com